Before the end of the school year, some local summer programs already had reached capacity. Though parents always seek child care during the break, many in the community notice demand this year for cost-saving options.

“There’s a need for out-of-school care, but there’s a huge need for affordable out-of-school care,” said David Chancellor, executive director of Boys and Girls Clubs of the Permian Basin.

A 2017 report for the Texas Workforce Commission gathered market rate information for the Permian Basin using a survey of 75 facilities in the area.

The median daily rates for full-day care were $22.85 for infants; $21.57 for toddlers; $21.07 for preschoolers; and $19.01 for school-aged children. Those figures were a few cents higher than regional rates in 2016, and they were lower than last year’s statewide medians.

Still, child care costs for Midlanders can add up during summer break. Using the report’s figures, the cost of full-day care for a school-aged child totals $95.05 for one work week.

The United Way of Midland has provided funding to Camp Fire West Texas and other local organizations that offer child care. For Camp Fire’s summer participants, financial assistance and sibling rates are available.

“Because we help, especially with working parents or single parents who have multiple kids, we tend to have a good discount for these families,” said Bill Shuey, executive director of Camp Fire.

Another summer program provider, Boys and Girls Clubs, tries to keep costs low, according to its website. Shametrise Culberson works full-time and turned to the option five years ago as a child care alternative for her three sons.

“I didn’t really have any care for them in the summer time, and I was having to pay a babysitter money that I didn’t really have,” she said.

For Culberson, the change made a positive impact. She said the programming gives her children opportunities to socialize while she stays on budget.

Other parents in the area have been left to weigh options, including being stay-at-home parents. Another consideration is leaving children without supervision during the summer, according to Willie Taylor, CEO of Workforce Solutions Permian Basin.

“They end up [being] latchkey kids at home, which is very, very dangerous,” Taylor said. “Plus, they’re not getting good-quality child care services.”

This summer’s demand comes after Midland in April had an unemployment rate of 2.1 percent, the seventh-lowest in the country, according to a previous Reporter-Telegram story.

Some working parents in Midland and Ector counties want child care providers to offer extended or more flexible hours, according to Diana Ruiz, interim director of First 5 Permian Basin. She said it can be difficult to find facilities that accommodate even traditional, full-time work schedules.

“You’re rushing to drop off children and get to work,” Ruiz said. “With this traffic, it’s even harder.”

First 5 is a program at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin that serves parents of children through age 5. Ruiz said families with school-aged kids have expressed concerns about waits at child care facilities, including in the summer time.

“A lot of these families have multiple children,” Ruiz said. “They feel that there is even more crowding, more wait lists.”

As some local companies offer competitive salaries, those with knowledge about the child care field said can it be difficult to retain workers.

Shuey said it’s also challenging because employees must go through background checks and have other training. He said that even if Camp Fire had the space to serve more children, it would be tough to fill staff positions.

Workforce Solutions Permian Basin has resources to help those seeking jobs in child care and other fields. Taylor said the pool of those offering child care services has been shrinking.

“It’s a difficult industry to be in,” Taylor said. “Across the state and especially here, we’ve actually lost providers over the years.”

Among those affected are infant child care providers, who are required to have smaller child-to-staff ratios than other age groups. Taylor thinks local options can impact those interested in moving to the region.

“A lot of folks when they’re trying to work here, they look at the availability of child care services,” Taylor said. “If you’re having a baby in nine months, you want to get on the list now.”

Some local companies have introduced on-site child care options for their employees, which Taylor said can open space for children at other providers.

He and others have pointed to cost-of-living increases as factors contributing to a need for affordable child care. The cost of rent in Midland has increased 2 percent compared to the past month and 27.1 percent year-over-year, according to the June report from Apartment List. Median rents are $1,180 for one-bedroom units and $1,490 for two-bedroom apartments.

As parents navigate local costs, some community resources can help them pay for child care and other expenses.

Texas Rising Star Providers have agreements with the Permian Basin Workforce Development Board to serve subsidized children, according to the board’s website. Parents who apply for financial assistance must meet income-related requirements and be in work or education programs.

Another option is through West Texas Opportunities Inc., which has limited funds available to help families with child care. Executive Director Jenny Gibson said changes in the economy can open up work opportunities that require training.

She said her organization intends to help families transition out of poverty and can assist parents with child care, utilities and education-related costs while they undergo job training.

“[Community Services Block Grant] funds allow us some flexibility to design our own services and programs,” she said. “So, it’s kind of a local way to assist clients.”